In a Cave in the Forest
by LadyPorpoise
Summary: Borne out of concern from a Rivendell relative, Thranduil and family are informed of potential visitors to their home. The fated disturbances to the feasting in the forest occur months later and Thranduil is not too pleased by it. As the tale plays out, Legolas learns what it takes to be Mirkwood's guardian while his father and brothers recall memories of war while at the mountain.


In a plain and a valley, there was an elf. Not a proud, jewel decked elf with shinies to make someone blind for days. This was Erestor. And that means…well, trouble.

Especially because there were _dwarves_ that were in the valley.

Now, Erestor was probably the only pure-blooded western-wood-elf found in the valley, excluding his wife Tathardes. He had a history with dwarves: either his people aiding the remnant of Doriath after the dwarves killed the elf king for a stupid necklace, or the incident where dwarves personally held him and his nephew captive in Khazad-Dûm. To be blunt: he did not like dwarves.

And _dwarves_ were in Rivendell.

Glorfindel threatened to put him in a box if he did anything suspicious in seeking revenge, so Erestor quietly bided his time, until the company left (much to his relief) the place. But _dwarves_ were going to the Lonely Mountain, and that meant going through Greenwood. _Dwarves_ were going near Greenwood.

Thranduil needed to know there were _dwarves_ coming.

It was a bright afternoon when Erestor with as much haste he could manage without appearing like he was up to something walked to his chambers. He went to the balcony and reached into the tree, grabbing the body of a Greenwood hawk that he had a personal storage of for the private messenger system he and Thranduil made. The rules were simple: the messages were to be short and concise.

Erestor grabbed a small parchment and scribbled onto it and grabbed a piece of flax. The hawk was placed on the table and did not look insulted by the fact it was manhandled so disrespectfully a few moments ago. But when master needed message sent fast, master can do whatever he wanted.

Erestor slowed his movements down so he could tie the flax and mini-scroll to the bird's leg…

"What are you doing?" someone called from behind in half panic.

Erestor yelped and nearly ripped the paper in two as he stood up straight and turned sharply. There, Glorfindel stood gleaming so brightly there was a halo around his head (if you follow one adaptation where the high elves apparently were all so shiny they had star halos…but that also meant that Rivendell was literally nothing but a lodge and basically uninhabited. For the sake of humor, imagine that…), because he was just so perfect. Glorfindel looked stunned and hopeful that he was not seeing what he thought he was seeing.

Erestor steeled his expression and turned slowly back to the bird. "None of your business," he muttered grumpily with heart pounding.

"Oh, that sure looks like nothing, and knowing you and what has happened recently, you are doing something that is going to make Mithrandir hate us and break the world as we know it." Glorfindel huffed and Erestor heard the gold-head approach. How he wished he could tie things to such a small creature faster at that moment. "Give me that letter."

"I do what I want with my own things!" Erestor exclaimed triumphantly and grabbed the hawk again to make a go for the outdoors.

But Glorfindel lunged at the same moment, and thus a wrestling match ensued.

The hawk yelled in response to the sudden drama and knew it should be helping master in fighting this too glowy elf, but the gold head was being very mean by also trying to grab the bird. Or more accurately: the message that it had been trusted with.

How Erestor managed to avoid losing his grip on his bird without his hands, no one would ever know. No one could ever fully understand a green elf, not even resurrected balrog slayers. But somehow the two ancient elves were on the balcony, and the hawk saw its chance. It fluttered before it got a secure breeze against its wings, and it was off.

Erestor made giddy sounding chortles while Glorfindel pulled himself helplessly against the railing, watching in despair as the bird flew away. His halo was ruined by bird feathers, and his clothes were rumpled.

"If you ruin any alliances because of this, you are to blame."

"Oh, no, this will only make things better for us." Erestor sounded very pleased with himself. "And my nephew cannot pull the realm card on his elder."

Glorfindel stared, not believing the last part. "You need help."

"Yes, we all do."

* * *

Over the mountains, the hawk flew over the green canopy of the healthy trees. There were no green frog people that some thought the wood-elves were. In fact: they were more normal than the high elves in the west for that matter. But back to the story: the wood elves were living peacefully while at the same time-fighting spiders and other enemies. A summer festivity was being prepared, and the bird could smell the seeds already.

Get that message delivered, and then it could be pampered to its heart's content.

Outside of the king's chambers, two of the king's sons were outside doing nothing, mainly waiting for their father, mother, and older brother to come out. Thranduil came out of his trance and was getting a grasp on reality again so he could enjoy festivities in full. That said, Legolas and Galadhion were on the floor with their ears pressed to the door-not wanting to crowd the room even more at that moment.

Legolas could hear wings, his mother saying a message from Erestor had come. The youngest prince became intrigued. Whenever his great uncle sent any message, it normally contained valuable info.

Although Legolas normally was not supposed to be eavesdropping.

There was silence beyond the room.

Then…

"WHAT!?" came a rageful outcry.

Legolas and Galadhion moved away from the door and to the wall before Thranduil came storming out. It was never good to cross the king when he just 'woke' up from watching the forest for the past two months without end. The brothers shared worried glances with each other before they arose.

Eregnis their mother came out not looking too concerned, and Thôndir their eldest brother followed behind. The expression he possessed looked like he was trying not to laugh.

"It is just dwarves, dear," Eregnis said calmly as she approached the agitated elf-man.

Legolas and Galadhion sighed in relief. It was nothing to be deadly worried about…but the topic just enough to make them mildly wary.

What about dwarves?

"That is the problem," Thranduil raved. "Because they are dwarves is why it is a problem! They have done nothing but insult our honor and make a mockery of our people."

"We have no insight that they will be coming anywhere near us," Thôndir stated calmly and casually.

Thranduil smiled oddly. "Oh, my son-The fact that Erestor even mentioned dwarves, there is a potential that they might." He shook his head and lost the smile. "Why would they even be coming here, or this far east at all? A visit to the Iron Hills, to the Red Mountains…"

Eregnis grasped her husband's arm. "Come back and sit down, please. You will be focusing on the topic for the whole time you are awake, and you will be no better for when you must return to the tree again." She tugged.

"We will deal with the dwarves if they do come here," Legolas spoke up for the first time, sounding confident and innocent as he always did, and of course, he had his charming grin to come with it. "Worry not about them, atta."

Thranduil blinked and was staring at air during the duration of the two speaking. Coming out of space again, he nodded. "Yes," he agreed, sounding more calm and relaxed. "You have that in control…I can worry about what is going on in the south. Something is going to happen soon." He added as an afterthought.

The air became a bit more serious, and after the whole family went back into the chamber, they discussed what to do about the omens that were being impressed onto the king.

* * *

 _A/N More is intended to come...But this can stand by itself for the time being. Basically my version of how the events of The Hobbit turned out with my character versions implemented. I daresay it'll be fun when I do Bilbo._

 _And yes, I slipped some Cartoon Hobbit references. :P I mean...Gee, Rivendell really is "The Last Homely House". It's a freaking lodge in the middle of nowhere. And Elrond: I get you are part Maiar, Man, and Elf...but what's with the halo and beard, and wizardy clothes (kudos for them trying to make him (being the only high elf in the movie) seem like a noble, but it back fired. There's also the issue with Thranduil being related to Yoda and the wood-elves just being frog people...How does that even happen, genetic wise, comparing them to Elrond (and Legolas for that matter, in the cartoon Fellowship of the Ring)?_

 _This chapter I might add is probably going to be the least serious, at least with Erestor and Glorfindel, because I've been dying to write that scene (the idea probably stolen from my sister...since we used to talk about what Erestor would have been doing or where he was when the company was in Rivendell). It probably would have gone down in a much more serious way._


End file.
